09 November 2010

Back in March, OfficeFurniture.com added product reviews to its website; allowing people to rate and review their purchases. After only a few months, it's clear that customers like what they're seeing. With hundreds of office furniture products such as office desks, office chairs, file cabinets and media furniture getting rave reviews, OfficeFurniture.com has added a new Top-Rated Office Furniturecategory to its website.

The new category showcases office furniture products with an average of four-out-of-five stars or higher. With just a few clicks, people shopping OfficeFurniture.com can easily find products that other customers have rated and reviewed. Looking for an office chair or computer desk, but not sure where to begin? OfficeFurniture.com's Top-Rated Office Chairsand Top-Rated Computer Deskscategories are a great place to start.

"Nothing is more important than allowing customers to speak directly to one another" said Steve Twining, general manager at OfficeFurniture.com. "We want our customers to be able to make informed choices, and reading about others' experiences with the products is a great way to make sure the furniture selected will meet their needs perfectly."

When shopping different categories, OfficeFurniture.com customers are now able to sort products by average rating and also read customer reviews on those items. Customers can even share a product through a number of social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Digg to gather even more feedback from friends and peers. In other words, OfficeFurniture.com is letting customers engage with its products in a very personalized way.

"With low prices, free delivery, great service and now customer product-reviews, OfficeFurniture.com is truly the leader in providing top-quality office furniture for small businesses and home offices," Twining said.

About OfficeFurniture.com

OfficeFurniture.com is a part of the National Business Furniture family of companies. NBF was founded in 1975 as an office furniture catalog for corporate offices and government agencies. Since then, NBF has expanded into the school, church and home office markets through three catalog brands, five websites and an experienced sales team.

In 2006, NBF was acquired by K + K America, LLC, the leading group of business-to-business mail order companies in North America.

For more information or for a free catalog, go to NBF.com or visit any of the NBF family of brands, including OfficeFurniture.com for a complete selection of computer desks, executive office suites and traditional office furniture such as file cabinets, bookcases, reception furniture, and office tables.

28 October 2010

Whether you're the galloping gourmet chef or prefer to open up a box of Sara Lee, the kitchen is the central hub of the house. It's where bread is broken, discussions take place and disagreements are resolved.

It's no wonder homeowners are willing to spend the most on a kitchen remodeling than anywhere else in the home.

Before deciding on remodeling, there are a few things to consider — most importantly is your budget.

"Prices can really run the gamut when remodeling a kitchen. A homeowner can easily spend $1,200 to $21,000 and anywhere in between," said Ruth Schoeneberger, certified kitchen designer for Morris Black Kitchen and Bath Designs in Bartonsville. "If you are working within a budget, you will need to make compromises and determine where you want to be within value and what is important to your design."

There are products for every price category. "Most homeowners agree that they are only doing the job once and will go with quality products for their durability," said Cheryl Franz, kitchen designer for Monroe Marble & Granite in Stroudsburg.

Some would rather spend their money to have an energy-efficient kitchen, while others prefer function and style. In either case, with many different products to choose from, your compromises should be minimal.

Do your research, suggested Schoeneberger. "If you are not educated, you can have a lot of remorse down the road," she said.

Like clothing trends, designs, colors and types of materials used in the kitchen can become outdated. If you plan to update your kitchen for the purpose of selling your home, you might want to consider using a professional kitchen designer to give you tips in the latest styles.

After you have a realistic budget in mind, now it's time for some homework. "Get on the Internet and research different kitchen styles to find out what your style is and what you like. There are free kitchen planning guides available online that come with a checklist," said Franz.

"Once you have a visual of what your dream kitchen would look like, interview several contractors and ask for a list of references. It's important to get your estimates in writing. Never go on a handshake."

Cabinets

When making budget-conscious decisions in your kitchen, consider the different price points.

"Many think that refacing your old cabinets will save you money; however, by the time you pay for the labor, you could be spending just as much as if you went with new stock cabinets that are economically affordable and will give your kitchen cosmetic changes without the custom cabinetry price tag," said Franz.

Once you've picked the wood, then you can choose the finish. Buyer beware: Multiple layer finishes cost more and drive the price up. Each has various levels to determine the price points. "Darker colors are coming back for the cabinets, light oak is done. We are seeing a lot of dark maple and cherry finishes," Schoeneberger said.

Many consumers are looking for ways to incorporate green choices. There are manufacturers that offer hardwoods from sustainable forests and that use products that contain recycled contents.

Countertops

If the thought of granite countertops has you salivating more than the food you're preparing, it may be time for new countertops.

Granite offers durability and a lot of different color options. "Engineered quartz has a higher value because of its durability and warranty, making it more expensive, but it cannot compete with the exotic look of granite with its beauty, energy and motion."

Even in a tough economy homeowners are still remodeling and still going for the luxury item. "It's the jewel of the kitchen that really makes a statement," said Franz.

"I would never recommend Formica countertops. If you can't afford the full granite countertop, a good compromise to that would be granite tiles over the top of your existing counter top. These big granite tiles, without the large grout line, are less expensive but still give the same luxurious look of granite."

Lighting

The verdict is in and the lights are coming out. "No more wasted space above the cabinets with soffits and recessed lighting. People want that extra height for storage. With so many kitchen gadgets and gizmos, we need to put it somewhere," Schoeneberger said.

Flooring

Flooring is a personal taste. "Many want the look of hardwood floors, but you will still have spillage, drops and scratches. There is more wear and tear in the kitchen than any other room in the house. Porcelain tiles are still the best on a kitchen floor. Ceramic tiles are less expensive but not as durable as porcelain. It really depends where you want your luxury," Franz said.

Good investment?

Don't expect to recoup remodeling money when trying to sell your home. And the more you spend, the more you lose. According to Schoeneberger, in today's market, no one cares about what use to matter years ago.

"Home buyers today do not know quality and won't pay for it either. All they look at is the price," she said.

Bev Waring, an agent with Realty Executives in Stroudsburg, said, "In this market, I would say no to a kitchen renovation to get a house sold. The house may sell more quickly with an updated kitchen; however, the homeowner most likely will not get a full return on the investment."

According to Realtor magazine, a midrange kitchen remodel brings an average 72.1 percent return on investment, while an upscale kitchen redo returns only an average of 63.2 percent.

20 October 2010

The first full-scale fire-prevention safety house in the nation is blooming at The Oregon Garden.

By July 2011, homeowners living in Oregon's wildland-urban interface, fire officials and home improvement retailers will have a life-sized teaching tool to demonstrate how to make homes less vulnerable to wildfires.

Individuals who are unable to visit the garden in person still will be able to tour the house. "This exhibit will be available nationwide," said Oregon Department of Forestry's Craig Pettinger, project manager. "One of the pieces of the grant is to provide an online virtual tour so people can view it from anywhere."

The project will be funded by a $600,000 Assistance to Firefighters grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The grant will pay for interpretive fire education displays and the production of a video chronicling the project to serve as an instructional tool for homeowners.

An existing 1970s-era home, currently used as the garden's business office, is being developed into the exhibit.

The cost of remodeling the home and landscaping the property will be funded through other grants and donations, said Denny Stoll, Oregon Garden Foundation chairman.

The Oregon Garden Fire Safety House will feature fire-resistant landscaping and building materials on the outside and fire prevention and safety displays on the inside.

Visitors will learn about the top causes of home fires in Oregon, smoke alarms and residential sprinklers.

In 2009, there were more than 2,300 home fires, resulting in an estimated $60 million in property loss, according to Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal's 2009 report.

Nine Oregonians died and 172 were injured in the house fires.

"Safety starts with one home at a time," said State Fire Marshal Randy Simpson, adding that the ultimate goal is to have no fire fatalities in Oregon.

The project is a partnership between The Oregon Garden Foundation, the Oregon Department of Forestry, Oregon State University, Moonstone Garden Management and the Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal.

Representatives from the different entities gathered Friday at the garden to talk about the house.

Coincidentally, the ceremony fell at the end of National Fire Prevention Week.

According to Dan Postrel, ODF's agency affairs director, it's estimated that as many as 500,000 to 700,000 lots may be located in Oregon's wildland-urban interface, although not all of the lots are developed.

"Oregon is a beautiful place, and the appeal of living in the woods is strong," Postrel said. "That's why a project like this is so important, so people can come and touch and feel and learn how to make their own surroundings survivable and dependable."

Stoll said he expects the new exhibit to attract regional and national attention.

"The end result of this collaboration will be the fact that working with other entities not related to the garden has opened various avenues for us to reach out to people who we didn't have the ability to reach before," he said.

19 October 2010

Martha Stewart knows a thing or two about kitchens: She owns 21. Home Depot hopes the domestic diva still has enough cachet to inspire Americans to start remodeling again with a new line of kitchen countertops, hardware and cabinets.

The line represents an expansion of a bet Home Depot made on Stewart last year when it signed a deal with her after her long-running deal with Kmart ended when they couldn't come to terms.

The increasingly high profile at Home Depot is a boon to Stewart and her company, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc., which has seen its share price fall 79 percent since the beginning of 2007 as the recession exacerbated choppy performance from its publishing and broadcast divisions. It's pursuing more partnerships with retailers to make up for the tough media business.

The line, which hit stores in September, includes 11 different styles of cabinets, 8 different countertops and 45 cabinetry hardware items and is inspired by a few of Stewart's own kitchens. While focused on the kitchen, cabinets can be used in other rooms like laundry and bathrooms.

"It's a natural area for us, and we finally have a partner who is able to do it in a large way," Stewart said at a launch event in New York on Thursday. "There are details you don't get at the mass-market level," she said, citing a bracket as an example that was inspired by vintage brackets she found at an antique market.

While Home Depot won't disclose specific sales figures by category, the company said the Martha Stewart Living items are doing well and in the month they have been in stores the kitchen products are exceeding expectations.

"It's spreading like weeds to other merchandise categories, so that's a pretty good indication of how well its doing," said Wall Street Strategies analyst Brian Sozzi.

Still, executives acknowledge that introducing a kitchen line during the uncertain economy is a risk.

Americans buffeted by high unemployment, an anemic housing market and uncertain economy have scaled back on remodeling projects. Homeowners spent $114 billion on remodeling in 2009, 22 percent less than a peak of $146 billion in 2006, before the recession began according to the National Association of Home Builders.

Home Depot is hoping the new kitchen line, which is color-coordinated with Martha Stewart's lines of paint and carpeting, will egg customers on to bigger remodeling projects.

"You could argue it is a funny time to launch," said Bob Baird, Home Depot merchandising vice president of kitchens. "Nobody needs a new kitchen tomorrow. ... But it is a great time to invest because when things do turn around, we'll be able to leverage our investments big time."

Stewart, who also sells products branded with her name at Macy's, Michael's, PetSmart and other stores, said her formula is focusing on strong design coupled with low prices, items that are "affordable, sturdy and well built."

Merchandise revenue has a bright point for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. Although the black eye of Stewart's prison stint in 2004 has faded, the company was hurt by the advertising slump during the recession and has operated at a loss for six of the past eight quarters.

There have been signs of stabilization. In its most recent quarter, the company's loss narrowed, helped by strong merchandise sales and solid growth in online advertising revenue. The company also moved Martha Stewart's eponymous show to the Hallmark channel last month in an effort to improve its results. The show had been in syndication.

The items in the new kitchen and cabinet line come in a wide range of prices — some kitchens cost $133 per linear foot, while others cost $153. The cost of a total kitchen renovation falls around $2,000 or $3,000 for a small kitchen, depending on the products used and not including labor.

Stewart added she was interested in expanding the Martha Stewart Living brand to other areas of Home Depot. Mirrors, drapes and drapery hardware begin to roll out this month, as are holiday items including pre-decorated artificial trees, wreaths and ornaments.

14 October 2010

Pelican Preserve, an adult community in Fort Myers, Fla., hasn't had its grand opening yet, but several buyers have already signed contracts for homes in the development, where prices start at $140,000.

The early sales—and the relatively modest selling prices that helped attract them—reflect the advantages WCI Communities Inc. now enjoys over many of its home-building rivals, thanks to a trip through bankruptcy court.

Pelican Preserve, with its planned new 1,150 homes, is the company's first new construction and sales project since it emerged from Chapter 11 proceedings last year.

Under court protection, WCI slashed its costs by nearly 75%. It has also been able to write down the value of its land holdings, which was battered by the housing downturn, to reflect the current market.

That "gives us a competitive edge in pricing our homes," says Chief Executive David Fry. "Other companies didn't have that luxury."

While most builders done in by the housing market's collapse are gone for good, a few are emerging from bankruptcy revitalized—with less debt, choice land and sharper business plans. Like WCI, whose public shareholders were wiped out under its reorganization plan, they are more likely to be owned by their creditors.

Relieved of day-to-day shareholder pressure to keep up their stock price and pay all their bills, these companies can take steep write-downs on the value of their land, which was often purchased during the industry's boom years. That allows them to price homes low enough to capture consumers' attention and still post a profit.

The new competition hasn't helped large publicly traded home builders. Many of those builders managed to avoid bankruptcy court but are struggling to sell homes in what continues to be a weak market, particularly in states like Florida, Nevada and Arizona. Having counted on winning business away from their failed peers, they may instead find themselves up against tough, newly private rivals that have learned from past mistakes.

"It's just a lot easier to steal market share if all the private guys are on the sidelines," says Michael Widner, a home-building analyst with Stifel Nicolaus.

Some industry executives, however, believe that tight credit and lack of access to public markets will keep Chapter 11 veterans like WCI in check.

Ken Campbell, the CEO of publicly traded Standard Pacific Corp., of Irvine, Calif., says his overriding concern is the lack of a housing-market recovery.

"Without good prospects of a recovery, I don't think much capital is going to make its way to the recently bankrupt companies," says Mr. Campbell, whose company was near bankruptcy when it was rescued by a distressed-debt buyout firm in 2008.

Even for the healthiest builders, home construction is a risky business these days. Despite record-low mortgage rates that have made homes more affordable, new-home sales have been hurt by high unemployment and weak consumer confidence. A bloated supply of bargain-priced resale and foreclosed homes makes it tough for home builders to compete on price.

But housing is cyclical. "We're not going to be in this slump forever," says David Warren, a bankruptcy attorney at Poyner Spruill LLP.

That's what Orleans Homebuilders Inc. is counting on. The Bensalem, Pa., company initially planned to sell the bulk of its land to rival NVR Inc., but instead it opted for reorganization.

Orleans's goal is to emerge from bankruptcy court later this year with its debt chopped in half. It aims to increase efficiency and cut cost by scaling back the number of home models and variations it offers. Under its reorganization plan, Orleans will be owned by senior lenders, including a trio of hedge funds.

Mr. Arden says the revamped Orleans could sell off less-prime land parcels. Finding buyers shouldn't be a problem, he says, because plenty of builders are in the market for bargain-priced land as they prepare for an eventual upturn.

Indeed, some private investors are already betting they can make money building houses on cheap land. City Ventures, a Santa Ana, Calif., builder launched last year, raised $100 million this year in private-equity investment to fund land acquisition. It says cheap land has allowed it to price homes as much as 50% below prices at the height of the boom.

New Home Co., another California-based start-up, says it has been buying land for 20% to 50% below boom prices. Its first community in Irvine, Calif., sold out this year, and it plans 38 more homes.

"As a private builder with no legacy assets that are tying us down and being pretty well capitalized, I think it gives us every advantage," says Larry Webb, New Home's chief executive, who previously worked for a private builder that went bankrupt.

Overpaying was a mistake that came back to haunt WCI, as it did many builders. It bought two smaller builders at the top of the market, says Mr. Fry. And it started several luxury-condominium projects in Florida, one of the states hardest hit by the housing slump.

As the company stumbled, activist investor Carl Icahn bought up stock and fought his way onto the board, but WCI couldn't escape the crumbling housing market. In August 2008, with $1.9 billion of debt, it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

WCI, based in Bonita Springs, Fla., emerged from Chapter 11 last fall as a closely held timber frame home builder with debt of $450 million. It is owned primarily by more than 15 private-equity firms that bought up its debt at a discount. Its largest holder is Monarch Alternative Capital LP.

The reorganized company sold the land that didn't work with its revamped business plan, including sites for high-rise condominiums in Florida and Virginia, and kept about 9,000 acres.

Land cost now accounts for an average 10% of the price for one of its homes, down from 20% at the market's peak.

WCI slashed its work force and the number of floor plans it offered on its homes. Corporate costs—ranging from marketing to real-estate taxes—fell to around $40 million a year from more than $150 million.

"There has been a radical culture shift in the organization," Mr. Fry says. "We will be much leaner going forward."